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Around the Peninsula

Posted: Sunday, December 21, 2003

Christmas trees available in refuge

The Kenai National Wildlife Refuge has been opened for Christmas tree cutting through Christmas day. There is no fee, but the limit is one tree per household. The public is reminded to trim the stump as close to the ground as possible for aesthetic reasons.

Trees may be taken from anywhere in the refuge except at refuge headquarters and visitor's center, along Ski Hill Road or near any road, lake, stream, trail, campground or picnic area. For more information, call 262-7021.

Kennel club offering dog classes

The Kenai Kennel Club is offering classes at its facility in the former Inlet Card and Craft store in the C Plaza in Kenai. Classes include agility, puppy kindergarten, basic, intermediate and advance obedience, rally obedience and conformation handling.

To find out more or to sign up for classes, call the club at 283-2218.

Basketball registration begins

The Boys and Girls Club is taking registrations for its seventh- and eighth-grade basketball league through Dec. 31. The fee is $50. Participants must have current Boys and Girls Club memberships. Registration forms may be downloaded from www.positiveplaceforkids.com. Forms can be faxed to 283-8190 with a credit card number, postmarked by Dec. 31 or dropped of at the club between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The club will be closed Wednesday through Friday and Dec. 31. For more information, call 283-2682.

Fish and Game committee to meet

The Kenai-Soldotna Fish and Game advisory committee will meet at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 14 at the Kenai River Center. Elections will be held and officers will be installed for the coming year. Open seats include three commercial fishing seats, two sportfishing guide seats, one at-large seat and two alternate seats. Discussions on Kenai River issues, guide numbers and fishing regulation proposals for the Board of Fish 2005 cycle also will be held. For more information and vacancy requirements, call Dwight Kramer at 283-1054.

Frontier board meeting slated

The Frontier Community Services will hold its board of directors' meeting at 5 p.m. Jan. 15 in the office at 43335 Kalifornsky Beach Road, No. 36. The election of officers and induction of new members will be conducted. The public is invited to attend. For more information, call 262-6331.

Assistance available for commercial fishers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is taking applications from commercial Pacific salmon fishers and crew members to receive cash benefits under the Trade Adjustment Assistance program.

Due to competition of farmed salmon, a payment of up to 3 cents per pound of salmon sold in 2002 and entitlement to technical services will be available to qualifying fishers.

The application deadline is Jan. 20. Applications are available at the National Resource Conservation Service office at 110 Trading Bay, Suite 160, Kenai. For more information, call 283-6287 or (866) 872-3320.

Ski team plans fund-raiser

The Homer High School Mariners ski team will hold a raffle fund-raiser for a 2003 Yamaha 700ccSX Viper snowmachine. The drawing will be held in conjunction with its spaghetti dinner at 5 p.m. Jan. 24 at the Homer High School commons. Tickets for the raffle are $5 apiece and can be obtained by calling (907) 235-5354 or any of the Mariner skiers. the cost of dinner is $5 per person or $20 per family. You need not be present to win. For more information and details on the snowmachine, call (907) 235-5354.

Annual reading carnival seeks vendors

The Kenai Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa, in conjunction with the Kenai Reading Council, Community Schools and Agrium Industries will hold its second annual reading carnival from noon to 4 p.m. Jan. 31. It is seeking clubs, groups and organizations to operate food booths, games, information booths and other activities. The cost of space is $10 a booth. For more information or a vendor form, call Virginia Morgan at 283-9374 or Norma Holmgaard at 262-9805.

Volunteers sought for air quality research

Wisdom and Associates Inc. has been awarded a grant from the Cold Climate Housing Research Center in Fairbanks to study indoor air quality problems in homes on the Kenai Peninsula.

The purpose of the study is to find the root cause of indoor air quality problems, such as ventilation, moisture, radon and combustion air problems. For more information or to participate in the study, call 283-0629.